I have 8 cutting pads, 8 polishing pads, a 2 finishing pads. I find that enough to do a mid-sized sedan. However, my brother asked me to buff out his Sierra 2500 pickup, and I don't think those will be enough. I'm thinking I'll need another 6 each of the cutting and polishing for such a big vehicle.

Check out this article from Mike Phillips that explains why more pads is better when doing a job:

How many pads do I need to buff out my car?